Sign the petition: No antibiotics on dirty factory farms

Tell Congress: No more antibiotics on factory farms Tell the U.S. Congress: "Millions of Americans get sick and thousands die every year from drug-resistant infections due to the misuse and overuse of antibiotics on factory farms. Support the Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act of 2015." Add your name: Dear Indiana, More than 2 million Americans get sick every year from infections caused by dangerous antibiotic-resistant superbugs. Tragically, nearly 23,000 of those Americans die.1 The cause of these dangerous infections is clear: More than 80 percent of all antibiotics in the United States are used on animals, mainly to raise meat on dirty factory farms, and have created a new crop of antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria that modern medicine can't contend with.2 But these terrible tragedies are preventable. Critical legislation recently introduced by Representative Louise Slaughter, the only microbiologist in Congress, would reign in the gross misuse of antibiotics on factory farms and stem the tide of new, even more infectious diseases. Tell Congress: Stop the overuse of antibiotics on factory farms. Click here to sign the petition. Owners of factory farms use antibiotics for two main reasons: to fatten up animals for slaughter and to keep livestock healthy in filthy, overcrowded living conditions. In 2013 alone, farmers used an incredible 63,000 tons of antibiotics on livestock. By 2030, that number will more than double.3 The Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act of 2015 will put an end to this terrible misuse of medicine intended for truly sick animals and humans. This legislation would "preserve 8 classes of medically necessary antibiotics for use in sick humans and animals, which would, along with enforcement mechanisms, dramatically cut back on the amount of antibiotics that are used in this country."4 Big Ag and the pharmaceutical industry are spending heavily to ensure this legislation doesn't see the light of day. The American Farm Bureau alone has spent over $3.3 million in lobbying to defeat this bill, while Pfizer, an antibiotics manufacturer, has spent nearly $1 million.5 But now's our chance to fight back. It's time for Congress to do the right thing and pass commonsense legislation to limit the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria that are killing thousands of Americans each year. Tell Congress to end the overuse of antibiotics on factory farms. Click the link below to sign the petition: http://act.credoaction.com/sign/factory_farm_antibiotics?t=6&akid=14211.7925804.Bv091c Thanks for all you do to protect the safety of our food. Josh Nelson, Campaign Manager CREDO Action from Working Assets Add your name: References Untreatable: Report by CDC details today's drug-resistant health threats, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, September 16, 2013 Brad Plumer, "The FDA is cracking down on antibiotics on farms. Here's what you should know.," The Washington Post, December 14, 2013 Alexander C. Kaufman, "Antibiotic Use In Meat Is Soaring," The Huffington Post, March 21, 2015 Rep. Louise Slaughter, "The Demise of Modern Medicine," Medium, March 23, 2015 Brian Krans, Politics Stall Antibiotics Ban in Congress," Healthline Share on Facebook Post to your wall Tweet this Post to Twitter © 2015 CREDO. All rights reserved. To change your email or mailing address, please click here: https://act.credoaction.com/me/update/?t=19&akid=14211.7925804.Bv091c To remove yourself from this list, please visit our subscription management page at: http://act.credoaction.com/cms/unsubscribe/unsubscribe/?t=21&akid=14211.7925804.Bv091c